JoFromOz wrote:
They probably were pushing for her to have a caesar...I'm booked in with the Family Birth Centre at the Royal Womens in Melbourne, and their hospital policy (for the whole hospital including the FBC, that is) is that all breech births are immediate C-sections.
However, I'm pretty sure that, legally speaking, no-one can *force* you to have a C-section. Does anyone know whether this is right or not?
While we're on the topic, does anyone know what complications usually result in C-sections, and what patient rights are re refusing a section?
Leanne XXX
Leanne, I used to work at the RWH in Melbourne while I was training to be a Midwife. In my interview, one question they asked me was, if someone was in labour, and they needed an emergency c/s, and they didn't want one, what would you do? It turns out that you cannot force someone to have a c/s if they refuse one. In their example, they used a Somali woman, but I'm sure that would extend to any woman!
If you were refusing a c/s for a breech, I'm sure they would make you sign something to waive your right to sue if anything happened though.
Thanks. That's what I figured was the case. I mean, my baby is not breech at the moment (I'm 34 weeks), but they have been known to flip. And I simply don't see a breech birth as being a necessary C-section. Everything I know indicates that breech babies can be delivered perfectly safely vaginally.
I guess my attitude to C-sections is that they are *emergency* surgery, and shouldn't be used routinely. If my baby was in distress, or it was clear there were problems, of course I wouldn't hesitate to have a section, but if the baby and I are both doing fine, I simply see a section as yet another intervention to AVOID.
Am I being illogical on this one?
Leanne XXX
HTH
Jo
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